Local Leaders’ Reactions to Sherman Park Unrest

Milwaukee has been through a hell of a lot this past
weekend. We’re still trying to figure out what happened when a Milwaukee Police
Officer fatally shot Sylville Smith after a traffic stop Saturday afternoon in
the Sherman Park neighborhood, which led to outrage. As we piece together the
circumstances of Smith’s death and its aftermath, local leaders have weighed in
with their responses to the weekend’s events.

City of Milwaukee Common Council President Ashanti Hamilton

For generations, Milwaukee has been a city crying out for justice. But there
is no justice in a mob scene, and the time is now to come together as a city
and peacefully reflect on our problems instead of inciting more of them.

Accordingly, I’m calling on every Milwaukeean to practice nonviolence and
restraint in the nights ahead. If you feel the need to make your voice heard, I
would expect you to do it peacefully, and to obey the lawful orders of the
police officers charged with protecting our lives and our property.

There is a process for investigating the police-involved shooting that
precipitated this weekend’s unrest, and I would ask our residents to withhold
their judgment until they have learned more of the facts in this matter. I am
told there is body camera footage of the shooting, and that when it is shared,
it will bring additional facts to light. We are pushing to expedite the release
of this video and these facts as much as possible.

Make no mistake about it, the frustration and the anger that we’ve seen
expressed—sometimes violently—are very real, and so are the disparities that
created them. Our city is home to neighborhoods full of kids and young people
who feel trapped without opportunity, without hope and without role models.
They see a world that’s passing them by because of where they were born and the
color of their skin.

We have struggled for too long just to begin to rebuild our city,
and we will not stand by and let violence and incivility tear it all down
again. The sort of unchecked rage and destruction we have witnessed these past
two nights hasn’t put us any closer to finding solutions for our problems.
Hurling bricks through windows doesn’t fix anything, but picking those bricks
up and building something, as a community, might. I hope my neighbors will join
me in seeking a peaceful solution to our problems.

Alderman Khalif J. Rainey

I need to be perfectly clear about these two things: while the residents of
Sherman Park and Milwaukee’s impoverished neighborhoods have just cause for
anger and frustration, absolutely nothing justifies the display of violence and
incivility we’ve witnessed in our neighborhoods these past two evenings.

My plea to my neighbors is to do everything they can to stop the violence
immediately. In a neighborhood where the opportunities for employment are so
few and far between already, it is foolish and counter-productive to take out
your anger on the few businesses that choose to operate on your block. Looting
and burning won’t create opportunities to get a job and get ahead in life.

Yes, our neighborhood has problems. Yes, it is unjust that many of us are
denied economic opportunities because of the color of our skin and the zip code
in which we were born. Yes, too many of our young people are mired in
frustration, hopelessness and crime. But you can’t fix the roof of a burning
house.

We need to put down the bricks and put away the guns. We need to pick up
some brooms and paint brushes and get to work. We need to get our kids off the
streets and teach them to act out of love and hope instead of fear and anger.
We need to stop creating additional problems and start seeking solutions.

If you’re angry, good; it means you’re paying attention. Once we’ve restored
peace in our neighborhoods, I hope you will join us in the work of creating
opportunity and equality for all of Milwaukee’s citizens.

We need peace, calm and healing on Milwaukee’s North Side, and I
respectfully ask every one of my neighbors to join me in pursuing that goal.

Kalan R. Haywood II, Milwaukee Youth Council President
and Sixth Aldermanic District Representative

Following
the events of this past weekend, we all saw Milwaukee at one of its darkest
moments. However, our love for our city and our zeal to ensure a brighter
tomorrow obligates us to come together at this moment. All communities must do
their respective parts. More so, the black Community must unify. To many
onlookers it may be perceived that the black community came together this past
Saturday night, but that is not the case. Saturday night was a manifestation of
hopelessness, irritation and frustration. It is very true that with every action,
there is a reaction. But not every action leads to a solution, and a solution
is what we are searching for.

In
order for the black community to make substantial headway in its endeavors,
Milwaukee cannot and must not have another repeat of Saturday night. I am
calling on everyone to gather that same energy, anger and motivation and direct
it toward strategically addressing the root causes of the issues.

Collectively
we have the power to right wrongs. However, we must use our brains, we must
think. I encourage our city to step out of the shackles that have limited our
minds and constrained our possibilities for far too long. The mission will be
tough and the climb will be strenuous, but there has never been any great
undertaking that hasn’t extracted its due portion of sweat, tears and labor
upon the victor. I am calling on all of us, from the residents on the north
side to the south side, Blacks, Whites, Latinos and Asians, the rich and the
poor, to stand up and demand that we invest in the discussions, policies and
actions that will produce the Milwaukee that we all can be proud of.

I
also issue a special charge to Milwaukee’s youth: I ask you to think before you
act. I encourage you to think of what outcome you want to see and ask yourself
if the action you are about to partake in will yield that result. Trust me, as
your peer I understand that screaming voice that yells from deep inside your
gut that tells you that no one is listening.

But
I also know that if we lead by example, everyone will take notice. We have to
be the change we want to see.

State Rep. LaTonya Johnson

Today, we call for calm in our community, but also demand
action. Our city does not need a military intervention, we need a humanitarian
response-- we need a surge of support for at-risk youth and their families, and
we need to provide our law enforcement with the mandate and the resources
necessary to reduce crime and improve community-policing initiatives. Most
importantly, though, we need to listen to what the community is telling us—that
they don’t condone violence and destruction of local businesses, but they also
understand the deep well of anger and frustration that results from decades of
declining opportunities and rising poverty that have been allowed to take hold
in parts of our city.

Sunday morning, we saw hundreds of residents come out of
their homes to assist in the clean-up of the neighborhood. Milwaukee showed
that when we respond with action and with resources, there are people that are
ready and willing to do whatever they can to restore their neighborhood’s
vitality. As policy makers, we have the responsibility to ensure that our state
government helps supply the tools we need to rebuild.

State Rep. Evan Goyke

Listening and understanding is often difficult in difficult
times, but my hope is that we listen and seek to understand why the events over
the weekend unfolded the way they did. We know that everyday too many people
wake up in a world without honest opportunity and too many law enforcement
officers are called to be more than resources allow. This is not sustainable.
We must break this cycle by listening to the voices of those who have been
ignored for far too long, as well as those sworn to protect and serve our
communities.

Milwaukee is defined not only by acts of protest, but also
by acts of healing. On Sunday I joined hundreds of my neighbors to work
together in service, to heal, clean the neighborhood, and begin the process of
positive and sustained change. I believe our community can grow and
succeed together. I hope this weekend is a call that is answered.

Together Rep. Goyke and Rep. Johnson pledge to continue to
work together to help heal the community. It starts first with listening and
ends with legislative action in Madison. In the coming days, weeks, and months,
Representatives Johnson and Goyke will be working on strategies to better
improve community and police relationships and welcome positive, solution-based
input.

Attorney General Brad
Schimel

I am saddened by
the senseless destruction caused by a handful of citizens in Milwaukee and
appeal for calm. I know the vast majority of Milwaukee residents are
law-abiding citizens who want and deserve safe neighborhoods and communities.
This is evidenced by the citizens who spent today helping clean up the Sherman
Park neighborhood.

I pray that the law
enforcement officers and firefighters who are working to protect the citizens
of Milwaukee will be safe throughout this ordeal and that no other journalists
or innocent citizens will be further harmed.

The Wisconsin
Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI), at the request
of the Milwaukee Police Department, is leading the investigation of yesterday’s
officer involved death. DOJ will work expeditiously to ensure a thorough and
transparent gathering of the facts.

Congresswoman Gwen Moore

The fractured relationship between local law enforcement officials and the
communities they are sworn to protect has become further strained by Saturday’s
officer-involved shooting. There is still much to learn regarding this
incident, however, we simply cannot close our eyes to the hostile environment
cultivated by the flagrant racial inequality and segregation that has plagued
Milwaukee for generations. We also cannot allow anyone to take out their
aggressions on our local businesses and homes or take the law into their own
hands.

I share the frustration of my constituents who feel they live in a city
where justice is only afforded to some and not all. I also share the
frustration of our local police officers who are desperately trying to uphold
public safety in what they perceive as a caustic climate. We must find a way to
strike a balance where we can peacefully point out the racial inequities in our
society while recognizing the valuable role police play in our community.

As details continue to emerge about this shooting, I ask our community to
remain calm and recommit to doing everything in our collective power to live up
to our nation’s promise of ‘justice for all.’ Together, Milwaukee will weather
this storm.

Alderman Bob Donovan

The mayor has announced a strict 10 p.m. curfew for anyone
under 18 in the City of Milwaukee.

While I’m not at all interested in piling on to the mayor’s
already full plate during this period of crisis in Milwaukee, I feel compelled
to make it clear that although I support the curfew move, in my mind it simply
doesn’t go far enough.

During the riots of 1967 a strict curfew for EVERYONE was
enforced, and I honestly believe the current unrest and violence is no
different. The all-out curfew was needed then (I know, I lived through it!),
and it’s needed now.

And we need a much firmer hand tonight with the protestors
so that order is restored. We have the resources, and the National Guard has
been activated by Governor Walker. I believe it’s time to deploy and utilize
those Guard members and to make the arrests when needed to protect officers and
citizens.

Over the years we have allowed far too much leeway with
individuals protesting without permits. These individuals are engaged in
unlawful assembly and need to disperse or be arrested.

Honestly I cannot in good conscience stand by and say
nothing and watch one more night of our officers being pelted by bottles,
bricks, and rocks (and possibly shot at with bullets!), and them just standing
there taking it. Seriously, how many more nights are we going to allow our
officers to be punching bags?

(And now we are hearing that individuals are coming up from
Chicago to instigate violence and confrontations with our officers; all the
more reason to get a better handle on these protests.)

We cannot be proactive until an all-out curfew is enforced.
I sure hope I’m wrong, but the 10 p.m. curfew the mayor just announced does not
sound like it will be at all effective.

With all due respect mayor, we should be more proactive
because we owe it to our officers and their families.

ACLU of Wisconsin Executive Director Chris
Ahmuty

The
American Civil Liberties Union of Wisconsin has been working to improve police
community relations in Milwaukee for years. The major focus of our work has
been to try to hold police accountable to constitutional standards, including
ensuring equal protection and refraining from unreasonable searches and
seizures.

The
ACLU of Wisconsin urges local leaders to heed the cries for solace, help, and
change from residents, young and old. The family and friends of the deceased
resident, Mr. Sylville Smith, deserve everyone’s respect and sympathy. Both
Black and white residents of Sherman Park deserve to receive professional,
unbiased police service to help keep their neighborhood a good place to live. Young
people, who feel that law enforcement is occupying their park and neighborhood
and treating them all as suspicious, deserve to be heard before violence
occurs, so that change will make a difference in their lives now.

Although
civil unrest, such as throwing bricks or discharging firearms, is not protected
expressive activity, residents have and retain their constitutional right to
engage in free speech and to peaceably assemble to demand changes they believe
will improve their lives, including better police-community relations. They
will be critical of police when there is a fatal shooting by a police officer.
Law enforcement should not respond to such criticism by escalating or militarizing
the situation. Law enforcement must be sure to distinguish free speech and
peaceable assembly and allow it to occur unless there is a clear and present
danger of an imminent breach of the peace.

Replacing
tension with trust also requires transparent interactions between residents and
law enforcement. Law enforcement should not offer a narrative that prejudges
the issue by denigrating the character of the victim while withholding the
facts surrounding the events leading to the shooting. One way to demonstrate
that residents and critics are being heard is to take steps to assure the whole
community that the investigation into Mr. Smith’s killing will be
comprehensive, unbiased, and transparent. Therefore the ACLU of Wisconsin calls
upon MPD and the Wisconsin Department of Justice to release the full dash cam
video and audio and the full body worn camera video from this incident.

Good
police community relations can result in a decrease in crime and better
conditions for residents. Trust between police and community members is
essential. Unfortunately in Milwaukee, including the Sherman Park neighborhood,
tension between many residents and police has existed for a long time and
appears to have increased this summer. Law enforcement and city leaders must
work to restore that trust.

Representative
JoCasta Zamarripa

Like
many Milwaukeeans, I am disappointed, disheartened, and still in disbelief
about the rioting that occurred this weekend. I never condone violence, and I
implore Wisconsinites to recognize the good in our state's largest city, which
was exemplified on Sunday morning when Milwaukeeans like my colleagues,
Representatives Evan Goyke and LaTonya Johnson, their neighbors and
constituents helped clean up the damage done to their near north side
community.

This
terrible situation should force all of us to reflect on the circumstances that
led our community to this point. The truth is, there are racial disparities in
our law enforcement, justice and correctional systems. Consider the fact that
African-Americans are much more likely to be shot by police than their white
peers. African-Americans were 31 percent of those killed by police in 2012, but
they make up just 13 percent of the population of the United States. One study
showed that between 2010 and 2012, African-American teens were 21 times more
likely than white teens to be shot and killed by police officers. And although African-Americans
aren’t more likely to use, buy or sell illegal drugs, they are
disproportionately arrested and imprisoned for those offenses and face longer
prison sentences than white offenders.

I say
this to provide some perspective. Violence against people and property is
abhorrent, and I hope that those who perpetrated it are brought to justice. I
am frustrated and angry, as are many of my constituents, at the sight of the
burned buildings on Milwaukee’s near north side. However, I’m also frustrated
and angry at the continuing racial disparities in our criminal justice system.

Condemning
violence is necessary, but doing so without being willing to honestly discuss
the factors that brought us here is irresponsible. It’s time to move beyond the
archaic politics of city versus suburbs and find solutions to our city’s, and
state’s, problems.

Comments (3)

It is absolute illogical insanity, driven by the p...

It is absolute illogical insanity, driven by the political-correct, white guilt educational, corporate, government and media institutions, to at all blame white people, when a ghetto-gang-banging-heroin-slanging-black-thug armed with a stolen gun -- is refusing to surrender, and is shot by a black-wannabe-thug-rapper-cop, who these PC-white-guilt-institutions forced into a position of power -- out of tokenism, and the supposed solution of -- more black cops & more black jobs. And to have, 150 ghetto-black-thugs, burn down their own neighborhood ,and employment and economy, and specifically beat and want to kill white people as the solution -- this is absolute illogical stupidity and insanity. And it is not white peoples fault whatsoever, other than the white-media and white people, who perpetuate this white-guilt-pc-insanity. WAKE UP!

Nancy N.more than 3 years ago

You are missing the reaction of the leader of the ...

You are missing the reaction of the leader of the black community in Milwaukee, David Clarke. How could you have overlooked that!!!?? As far as I'm concerned, you only needed to talk to him. Period. The Shepherd is suppressing the real voice of the black community.

djlresearchmore than 3 years ago

You should read more Twanna: "Travel around to all...

You should read more Twanna: "Travel around to all the Walmarts, McDonalds, Culvers, Grocery Stores, Gas Stations etc. and watch black people working in the service industry they are systematically and vastly less professional, less hard working, less civil and approachable, and often rude, hostile, lazy, stealing, fighting and drug dealing. Wake up everyone and just look around it is obvious it is reality not racism."

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